Tears of Serpent
by RTiger
Summary: Once, a long time ago, Joshua was just a normal guy. In fact he'd like to be a normal guy again, but it seems fate- and his friends- won't let that happen.
1. New Neighbors

**New Neighbors

* * *

**

"It's a good thing we got this apartment rent-free," Joshua commented, looking around. He frowned. "Uh, how did you guys get this again?"

"We, uh, persuaded Sanosuke." Saiyoko grinned evilly.

_Some Time Earlier_

Saiyoko, Namir and Lev entered a room, looked around, and surrounded Sanosuke- the owner of the apartment building.

"So," Lev said. "Can we have a place for free?"

Sanosuke surveyed the strange group and said, "No way."

The friends smiled at each other and moved in to persuade him. In moments,.they proceeded to beat the crap out of him.

From his new position on the ground, trying to catch his breath. Sanosuke wheezed, "Okay! Okay, you can have a place, and it'll be free!"

_Present_

While the friends were unpacking in their new apartment, there was a knock at the door. Saiyoko went to answer it.

A beautiful woman was standing outside. Lev ran to the door and tried to push Saiyoko out of the way, but he tripped over Joshua's suddenly outstretched leg and flew into a wall.

The girl stared, shocked, for a moment before coming back to earth. "Hi. I'm new in town and this is the only apartment left. So, well, can I move in with you guys?"

Saiyoko had seen the girl's cat by now and was staring in awe. "Oh cool! You have a fire cat demon! Sure, you can move in. You're gonna have to share a room with Namir and me," she added as she let the girl in. "So, what's your name?"

"Sango, and the cat is Kirara," Sango said, bowing.

Saiyoko quickly introduced the others. "I'm Saiyoko, this is Namir and Lev."

"Joshua, but you can call me Josh," Josh said as he helped bring Sango's luggage in. Kirara jumped on his head and he smiled. "Nice to meet you, too."

It wasn't much longer before they all had as much unpacking done as they needed to. Hosh looked around and said, "So, do we need to meet the other tenants?"

"Of course! We need to go torment them." Saiyoko opened the door to find Dante outside. "_What the_!"

"Hi I am a poor beggar no speak English, need place to stay, yes yes very good!" Dante tried to enter the apartment. The group of friends threw him out... literally.

"Maybe we should meet the others later?" Lev said.

"Nah, let's go annoy them now," Namir said cheerfully.

"Let's go see where the door in our room leads!" Saiyoko suggested.

"Wait, you have another door in your room?" Joshua asked, confused.

Everyone entered the girl's room together and then froze as they heard voices through the door.

"Dammit Miroku! KEEP YOUR HANDS OFF KAGOME! Stupid humans..."

"SIT." There was a loud _thud_.

"Ow!"

"I was merely checking for injuries! By the way, is that a cut?"

"Stay back, Miroku."

The door flew open and a girl came out. Almost immediately, she tripped and fell right on Joshua, causing them both to hit the floor. "Oh, I'm sorry!"

Joshua blinked in shock and replied, "It's all right." He laughed to himself mentally. _It's just like when I met her._ He looked at his friend. "Oh man, our neighbors are crazier than us." Then he realised that what he was looking at was Saiyoko and Namir setting video equipment that could link to the next room. "Okay, never mind."

"Heyla!" Saiyoko said brightly.

"Hidy-ho!" Namir added.

"Hi," said Sango.

Lev just sighed.

The girl said hi to everyone.

"Hey, can you do me a favor?" Josh asked her.

"What is it?" the girl said.

"Can you get off me, please?"

"Oh, sorry about that! I forgot you were there," the girl said as she got up. "My name is Kagome. What's yours?"

Josh got up as well, dusting off his pants. "I'm Joshua but a lot of people call me Josh. Nice to meet you."

Both groups looked at each other a moment. Then InuYasha said flatly, "Great, they're even crazier than we are."

"Hey, that's my line!" Joshua yelled.

Everyone ignored him. Miroku stepped into the room and knelt before Sango. "O lovely lady, I come from a long and honorable line of priests, which is sadly dying out. Beautiful stranger, will you do the honor of bearing my-"

Joshua grabbed Miroku and threw him out the window before whistling innocently. "What? He stepped on my foot."

"Surrre he did," Namir said, rolling her eyes.

_Later That Night_

The group of friends were playing Mario Party. Joshua could hear the game music from outside, where he was sitting on the roof and thinking about his past. "I can't believe it's been three years since I left the group from the other world," he said quietly to himself. "The monk reminds me of the priest. The way he tries to pick up girls, getting me into trouble. I always ended up getting punched." He looked at the dark sky. "Even though I died there..."

Suddenly, his cell phone rang. He answered it. "Hello. Yes, this is him. Oh. Yes miss. I'll be at work early this morning. Say hi to your grandma for me," he said just before he hung up.

Back in the room, Joshua's friends were enjoying themselves. "Die, Princess Peach!" Saiyoko yelled.

InuYasha winced and flattened his ears. "Oi! Not so loud, bitch!"

"Sit!" Saiyoko yelled.

"That only works for Kagome," Sango informed her.

Saiyoko smiled. "That's what you think," she said cheerfully, before unsheathing her greatsword Dragonflame and bashing InuYasha over the head with it. He crashed to the ground. Kagome giggled and InuYasha glared at her.

Kagome got up from the couch. "Well, guess we have to get ready for bed. We'll see you later."

"See ya later," said Saiyoko.

"Love ya," said Daya.

"Goodbye," said Sango.

Namir nodded coolly.

"Wait a minute, when did _you _get here?" Kagome asked, confused.

"I was here the whole time," Daya said, smiling.

_3 A.M. That Morning_

Almost all of the group were watching 'Boy Meets World.' In the kitchen, Joshua was making coffee. "Anyone want a cup of coffee?" he asked.

"Yeah, pick one up for me," said Daya.

Joshua was about to bring the cups of coffee when there was a knock at the door. He gave Daya her coffee and went to answer it.

It was Kagome.

"Um, hi... do you mind if I stay with you? Miroku keeps trying to watch me in the shower..." Kagome muttered.

"Sure, you can stay here. You can use my room," Josh said.

Saiyoko waved from where she was sprawled on the couch. "Heyla, Kagome!"

Kagome looked confused. "Why are you all still up?"

Saiyoko shrugged. "It's morning."

"And it's a Boy Meets World marathon. Sean is so HOT!" Daya said with a big smile.

Kagome sweat dropped. "Ehehehehehe... Thanks..." She was already thinking, _What did I just sign myself up for?_ And feeling the faint beginnings of panic.


	2. Shikon no Tama

**Chapter 2: Shikon no Tama

* * *

**

Crickets were chirping, birds were singing, the dawn sun was breaking the horizon. Suddenly, from the nondescript building in the middle of town, there was a racket that shattered the peaceful morning.

"GOOD MORNING CAMPERS!" echoed through the halls of the building (and everywhere else, for the matter) and shook every sleeping person in the apartment awake.

Sango staggered into their common room, groaning, and found Saiyoko, Namir, and Daya standing in front of the microphone grinning evilly. Incidentally, this microphone was hooked up to speakers through out the building.

"Bitch," Sango groaned and dropped onto the couch. "So, where's Josh?"

Saiyoko shrugged.

Namir pointed at the note on the table.

The note read, _Went to work._

"He has a _job_?" Sango said, amazed.

_Meanwhile, outside the apartment…_

"Man, that was loud. I guess this neighborhood has changed a lot," a girl commented, getting out of a taxi.

"Well, it wasn't that normal where we came from. Besides, aren't you going to worry about the apartment manager?" another girl asked, smirking

"Stacey! I don't like that idiot," the first girl said angrily. "He's just bugged me since the first day I was at those apartments."

Stacey smiled. "Yeah right, Julian. That's why every time you see him your heart starts to beat faster and your face turns red."

"Just shut up about it!" Julian yelled, walking towards the apartment.

_Back inside the apartment…_

"We're going out for pizza," Daya informed everyone.

Sango replied from facedown on the couch, "Mmmmppff."

"So that's a yes?" Saiyoko asked.

Sango rolled over and nodded.

Namir went to Kagome's room, opening the door and asking, "Kagome, do you want to get a pizza?" Kagome had been huddled underneath her pillow, but she sighed and got up.

Saiyoko, Namir, and Daya entered Lev's room next. Daya threw ice at Lev, which had no effect. Namir shocked him with a taser, which also had no effect. Saiyoko then got Miroku, Sango, Kagome, Namir, Daya, and a very pissed-off InuYasha to enter the room as a marching band.

Lev continued to sleep.

"Maybe he's in a coma…" Saiyoko mused, raising an eyebrow.

"So, what kind of pizza should we get?" Kagome asked.

"Large cheese deep dish?" Saiyoko suggested.

"Sure," everyone agreed, amazingly enough.

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot-if you live here you must wear black," Saiyoko stated for no apparent reason.

A freaky little android named Dorothy appeared out of nowhere and said flatly, "Your sense of fashion reeks."

Dante walked in the front door. "Hey, I'm wearing black, let me in!"

"You are in the wrong show and no we do not have to wear black," said Daya.

"YOU GET THE HECK OUT OF HERE!" yelled Saiyoko, hitting Dante over the head with her greatsword, Dragonflame, and knocking him out the door. Everyone stepped over him on their way out to the car.

"Hey, where's Miroku?" Kagome asked.

"He's a little tied up," Saiyoko answered with an evil grin.

Sango blinked. "I don't think I want to know..."

_Meanwhile with Joshua..._

"Joshua, can you help me with this statue?" a girl asked, trying to lift a solid gold statue.

Joshua jumped over the table to help the girl out. "So Sarah, where does this thing go?" he asked, lifting the statue over his head.

Sarah stared, shocked, and asked, "Are you sure you don't work out?"

Joshua stared back. "I'm…. I was just born strong," he said, laughing. _The real reason that I'm so strong is because of all the spirits that lie deep inside my body…_

Sarah grabbed a rag and started dusting the area. "You can put it in front of the window. Grandma wanted the statue to be one of the idols for the shop," she said, climbing the ladder in front of the bookshelf.

Joshua put the statue by the window. _If I didn't know better… but this big dude reminds me of the Serpent King Orochi_. The ladder started to break. Sarah was about to fall. Joshua heard the snap and quickly turned around and ran to Sarah. He caught her before she hit the ground. "Are you all right?"

Sarah stared at him again, starting to blush.

"Do you have a fever?" Joshua asked, confused.

"I'm…I'm just fine," Sarah replied as Joshua set her down. She started walking to the back room. "I'm just going to get a drink."

Joshua was even more confused. "Did I do something wrong?"

Sarah didn't answer, vanishing into the back room.

"Joshua just touched me," Sarah said to herself, breathing deeper. "He saved my life. Why can't I tell him thank you? Why does my heart beat faster?"

_Back with the rest of the gang…_

The car came to a stop in front of a pizza shop named 'Giordano's.'

Someone in front of them was stammering to a beautiful girl. "Hi, I'm… I'm…I'm…"

Saiyoko walked up to him and smacked him in the back of the head.

"My name is Zack Fair. And what is yours?" Zack asked, rubbing his head.

The girl grinned. "I'm Aeris Gainsborough," she replied.

The group of friends went inside the pizza shop and sat at a table.

"Hmmm…I wonder if that works on anyone else," Saiyoko said thoughtfully. Then she cheerfully smacked InuYasha upside the head.

"Hey! Wench, what was that for?" InuYasha asked angrily.

Saiyoko ignored him.

"InuYasha, you shouldn't be rude to my roommate! Sit!" Kagome ordered. Several people in the pizza joint stared at the twitching half-demon embedded in the floor, then shrugged and went back to what they were doing.

Saiyoko got up and wandered over to the wall. Minutes later, Saiyoko was leaning against the wall by the drinking fountain talking to Lupin. "So, if you steal the Shikon no Tama for me and my friends, I'll start a Thieves' Guild with you."

Lupin shoved his hands in his pockets. "Sorry, but-"

"And Fujiko."

"Deal," Lupin said, grinning.

Sango wondered what Saiyoko and Lupin were up to, especially since considering what those two were like it couldn't be anything innocent, but elected to stay far away where it was safe.

Everyone had finished their pizza. "So, are we just going back to the apartment?" Kagome asked.

"You guys can go to the apartment. Namir, Daya, and I are going somewhere," Saiyoko said quickly, dragging Namir and Daya out the door toward a nearby Chinese restaurant. "We'll…uh…catch a taxi, or something! Bye!"

Kagome, Sango, and InuYasha drove back to the apartment.

"Hey guys, I got this guy to agree to steal us a jewel that'll allow us to make any wish we want," Saiyoko was explaining to Namir and Daya. "So, I think we should wish to become half-demons!"

_Later that Night…_

"All right," Saiyoko said, placeing the Shikon Jewel in the center of the table. "Everyone make a wish!" Namir, Daya, and Saiyoko each placed a hand on the Jewel. There was a flash of light and a dog half-demon sat grinning at two cat half-demons. "Time to go home!"

_Meanwhile…at the Gentleman's Club…_

Lev looked around, ears twitching in confusion. "Hey, why is everyone screaming and running away?" His eyes widened. "Did my ears just…?"

"Congratulations, dog boy," Miroku called from the corner. "You seem to have become half-demon."

_Back at the apartment…_

Saiyoko opened the door of the apartment. "Hey, have you see Lev?" she asked Sango.

"I have no idea," said Sango, putting down her book and then realising her friends were now half-demons when they'd been human just that morning. "Whoa, wait. When did you guys become half-demon?"

"A few minutes ago," said Saiyoko, pricking her ears forward. "So, where is everyone?"

"Kagome went grocery shopping and Josh is still working. But Kagome's been gone for hours. I hope she's all right," said Sango.

InuYasha stormed into the apartment and immediately began yelling at the other three half-demons. "What the hell are you three doing? Why are you all half-demons?"

Saiyoko growled and bared her fangs. "Sit, boy!" She hit InuYasha on the head with Dragonflame just as Lev walked in, grinning wickedly.

Lev threw rosaries around Namir and Saiyoko's necks before yelling at the top of his lungs, "SIT!"

Namir and Saiyoko slammed face-first into the ground. "That really does hurt," Saiyoko commented, rolling onto her back.

_Meanwhile, with Kagome…_

Kagome was in an alleyway, surrounded by three big thugs.

"Hey, little girl. Give us all of your money and we won't hurt you," the first thug said, grinning evilly.

The other two cracked their knuckles, staring at Kagome.

Kagome backed away a little.

"So what's your answer?"

Suddenly, a coin hit the first thug on the head. "That's no way to treat a lady. Or one of my roommates," Joshua said from the front of the alley.

"Who the heck are you?" the first thug asked, rubbing at his head.

"No one important. Now if you guys don't mind, just leave now. I hate violence," Joshua said, smiling.

"Get him!" yelled the first guy. The other two thugs ran at Joshua.

"Josh get out of there!" Kagome yelled.

"Idiots," Joshua muttered. When one of the thugs tried to punch him, Joshua got him with a sidekick and sent the thug flying into the air. He landed in the trash bin.

The other thugs stopped in shock. "I thought you didn't know how to fight!"

Ignoring him, Joshua jetted in front of the other thug and laid him low with an uppercut.

_How did he do that? _Kagome wondered. _I never even saw him move!_

The last thug started to run away. Joshua grabbed a garbage lid and threw it at him before walking over to Kagome. "Are you all right?"

"Y-yeah, thanks," Kagome stuttered. She started walking, then noticed that Joshua was not coming. "What's wrong?"

"I'll see you at the apartment. I have to wait for the cops," Joshua said, pulling out his cell phone.

Kagome nodded and kept walking.

Seeing that she was gone, Joshua's expression turned serious.. "I know you're here. I can sense your presence," he said, looking around.

A strange laugh started to echo through the alley. "Well done, Savage Tiger. You are still the best fighter I know."

"So, are you the boss of the new Legions, or the flunky?" Joshua asked.

"Ryu. We will not make the same mistakes as our other leader. You and your friend's souls will become ours," the voice said as he absorbed the thugs, causing the bodies to vanish.

Joshua left the alleyway. _I can't believe they came back. Look like my small vacation will be coming to an end. _He laughed a little. _Guess this mean I'm going to have some fun_. He glanced up and realised he'd already made it back to the apartment. _Well, at least I won't be bugged by that nut case girl._

"Well, Stacey, I'm going out for a bit," Julian said, opening the door. As she started to head down the stairs, Joshua was coming up. They bumped into one another.

"I'm sorry," Julian said.

"No, I'm sorry," Joshua replied.

Then they both took a look at each other's face. They both screamed.

"What the hell are _you_ doing here!"


End file.
